Previously, there have been numerous devices employed to support marine craft when the craft are not in water. Such support is necessary when the marine craft is, for example, undergoing extensive repair or on display at a trade show.
Conventional support devices for marine craft have included bracing the craft with barrels and blocks of wood, trailers and custom-made stands individually designed and fitted for each application. However, these devices, when they have the flexibility to adapt to various sizes of marine craft, generally provide inadequate support. Devices which provide adequate support are normally non-adjustable or are not portable.
A further problem with non-adjustable marine craft supports is the complexity inherent in constructing a complete device while maintaining a precise relationship between all the components. The various beams and braces must be maintained in precise alignment while being rigidly attached. In the event of severe damage, the entire support must be reconstructed or renewed as a unit. It would be advantageous to construct a support device which utilizes modular elements, thus simplifying construction and repair techniques.
Other prior art included marine support structures which incorporated an interdependent cross-braced system of tie rods as disclosed in Mears, U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,277, issued June 30, 1964. These inter-dependent cross-braced ties were necessary to the overall operation and rigidity of the storage unit structure.
Conventional craft supports also took the form of bases which could only be adjusted in two directions; outwardly so as to accommodate a wide hulled craft, and vertically or longitudinally so a to be compatible with the keel depth. A representative example of this type of support is taught by Ebsen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,667, issued May 22, 1979. These supports lacked a great range of adjustability, as they were a four base support design for use on small craft. Additional bases could not be added so that a larger craft could be supported.
Similar support devices for marine craft are disclosed in Zak, U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,543, issued Oct. 17, 1967; and Modzelewski, U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,285, issued June 22, 1971.
It is therefore an object of present invention to provide a support system which can be adapted to marine craft of different dimensions and shapes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a support system which can adapt to marine craft of various sizes through the adjustment or replacement of readily available segments.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a support system which is lightweight yet provides sufficient support for large marine craft.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a support system which employs a small number of separate elements required for its construction.